Last night, Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham helped lead Detroit to a narrow five-point win over the Indiana Pacers, but the victory came with a bit more gravity attached than normal. With the 122-117 win, the Pistons closed out their 13 consecutive victory, which tied a franchise record, and it painted a symbolic picture of Detroit’s turnaround.

Two years ago, Cunningham and the Pistons experienced a low water mark with an NBA record 28 consecutive losses in the 2023-24 season. Last season, Detroit’s All-Star point guard was determined to turn the Pistons’ culture around, and now he appears to have done that– but the job is far from complete. 

“We wanted to find our way to the top of the league,” Cunningham said defiantly after Monday night’s win. “We’ve seen the bottom of the league before, so it’s pretty cool that we had the worst streak in franchise history and now we have the opportunity to go have the greatest streak in franchise history. So, we are excited about the opportunity, but this is just the product of the work. This isn’t what we were going for. We still have bigger things to do.”

When Cunningham delivered that message, the third-team All-Pro simultaneously put the entire NBA on notice. Though different words were used, the translation for Cade’s answer is clear: the Pistons are looking to take over the league. 

Draymond Green Makes Emphatic Statement In Support Of Detroit Pistons’ NBA Finals Hopes The Detroit Pistons received a hefty compliment from Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green

Yes, a franchise-record 13-game winning streak is an achievement that Cunningham is pleased to take part in. Of course, the Pistons’ first place position in the Eastern Conference is also an impressive feat, but do not be confused. Cunningham understands the long game, and he’s dialed in to help Detroit reach its potential. 

“We’ve got to stay hungry,” Cunningham said. “We can’t start getting above ourselves or feel like we’ve got everything figured out. It’s a long season. One game can send you into a spiral– we’ve seen that before. So, just staying hungry, staying motivated, which isn’t a problem for this group. But finding ways to get better, I think that’s everything.”

READ MORE: Cade Cunningham Seals Detroit Pistons' 13th Consecutive Victory, Tying Franchise Record

In the victory over Indiana, Cunningham logged 24 points, 11 rebounds and six assists to his credit, but the near-triple-double performance was not enough to leave him satisfied. Cunningham mentioned that he could have closed out quicker on a couple Pacers three-pointers, and he did commit a trio of turnovers that also could’ve been cleaned up. 

Now in his fifth season, Cunningham has proven that he does not like to mince words, so he’s going to give an honest assessment of how Detroit is playing. Cunningham is certain that the Pistons’ best basketball is yet to come, and that’s a statement that should strike fear into the rest of the league.

Cunningham and the Pistons will next take on the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, Nov. 26 at 5 pm for another dose of the NBA Cup’s group stage. 

For more information on the latest Detroit Pistons team or player news, follow @EricJRutter on X for continued basketball coverage. Also be sure to look up Roundtable - Michigan Men Media on Facebook for continued social media coverage of all the sporting teams in the Mitten.